ANN7 (DStv 405) doesn't want to talk about or comment about scandalous behaviour once again damaging the image and reputation of the South African 24-hour TV news channel run by Infinity Media after an ANN7 journalist physically attacked and assaulted ANN7 news editor Abhinav Sahay in the Midrand newsroom.
Abhinav Sahay got a cut to his upperlip and bled after an ANN7 journalist head-butted him in the ANN7 newsroom on Wednesday during an argument over a news story.
A case of alleged assault has been lodged at the South African Police Service and is once again making South Africa's TV and news industry as well as viewers of the TV news channel wonder what is going on inside ANN7's news operation.
ANN7 editor-in-chief Moegsien Williams told staff on Wednesday that "disciplinary action is begin taken" and that the journalist has been suspended with immediate effect.
Moegsien Williams told shocked ANN7 staff that "we are all aware of the unsavoury incident that occurred in the ANN7 newsroom earlier today. As a company, we cannot condone this type of behaviour which was a physical attack on a colleague.
"In addition, it disrupted operations and brought the company's reputation into question".
ANN7 on Friday told TV with Thinus in response to a media enquiry asking how ANN7 feels about the incident, what is happening with the news editor, and with the journalist, that "it is not Infinity Media's policy to comment on internal or disciplinary matters".
Meanwhile ANN7's public image externally is being tarnished once again and ANN7 is silent once again about shocking internal personnel matters which impacts how ANN7 is perceived, and its reputation, by the TV industry and viewers.
From before launch, and since it started ANN7 has been mired in on-air and behind the scenes talent and personnel drama - with ongoing stories the past two years of firings, talent and staff quitting, and a revolving door of on-air faces - some who are removed and several who've quit.
One of the original start-up helpers, the former editor Rajesh Sundaram who was thrown out the building and allegedly feared for his life after he quit, even promised to write an explosive tell-all expose of the troubles and alleged horrific working conditions behind the scenes at ANN7 but a book never materialised.
According to constable Matome Tlamela, the ANN7 journalist on Wednesday allegedly physically assaulted Abhinav Sahay while asking about the progress of a story.
